


Not Ma'Chello

by Dimity Blue (Arnie)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode Related, Episode Tag, Episode:s02 ep17 Holiday, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 08:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18657058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnie/pseuds/Dimity%20Blue
Summary: Fred spent part of a day with Ma'chello. Some time later, he saw a familiar face.





	Not Ma'Chello

"Machello! Are you okay? Did the cops let you go?"

The guy stopped and turned, his face blank like he didn't recognise Fred at all. "I'm sorry?"

Fred shrugged. "Sorry, man. I thought you were someone I knew." He understood. It wasn't the first time someone had pretended they didn't know him. He just hadn't thought Machello was the type.

To Fred's surprise, the guy wasn't walking away. "You met Machello?"

Fred's confusion deepened. The guy looked like Machello but... In a flash, it came to him: Split personalities. He'd figured the guy had issues; he just hadn't realised how bad they were.

"I know I look like Machello," the guy said. "I'm Daniel. We're cousins."

There was a faint hesitation before he said 'cousins' and Fred didn't blame him for that at all. He wouldn't have wanted to explain split personalities to anyone either. "I'm Fred."

"Hi, Fred. So, you met Machello?"

Fred nodded. "Yeah, we spent most of the day together."

"At the diner?"

"He told you about that?"

The guy, Daniel, seemed amused. "Not in so many words." He paused, then added, "Can I buy you a meal?"

Fred wasn't so proud he'd turn down a free meal, even when it was an act of charity, as this clearly was even though Machello's hadn't been. "I'd appreciate that. Thank you."

"I'd like to hear about Machello, if you don't mind telling me," Daniel said as he led the way to a nearby diner.

Fred guessed split personalities didn't often get to meet each other. Well, a free meal was a free meal and this Daniel didn't seem like the violent type.

It wasn't until they were sitting in a diner that Fred realised what was so weird: Machello could have been from another planet, what with his talk about 'your customs' and how to court a wife, but this guy, Daniel, he was perfectly at ease and hadn't tried to get a kiss from the waitress. If they didn't look so much alike... Or did they? Fred started to doubt his own memory.

"Fred, are you okay?"

"You're really not Machello, are you?"

Daniel's look of concern changed into a wide smile. "I'm really not."

Oddly enough, it was the smile that convinced Fred more than ever. Daniel was easy to talk to as well, and Fred stopped suddenly as he realised he'd been talking about himself. "Sorry, man, I guess I was ramblin' on."

"Don't apologise. It was interesting. I guess finding a place to live must be almost impossible for you."

Fred shrugged. "No job, no income. Who'd rent to me?"

Daniel looked thoughtful. "You might be surprised."

 

Fred didn't think anything more of it. Daniel gave him enough money to get a hotel room but Fred hid it in his shoe and kept it for food. Even if pickings were slim, it meant Fred wouldn't go hungry for a couple of weeks.

But then Daniel turned up again with a job offer and a small apartment to go with it. Fred didn't have to do much, just keep the apartment halls swept and clean and report any repairs the tenants needed. It was strange but nice having a place of his own. As for the job, well, Fred knew it was only a little janitor job but he sure felt like a rich man with his own bank account and pay slip.

He never told anyone but, every year, Fred went back to the diner where he and Machello had sat and celebrated their strangeness together and Fred had a burger and an ice cream sundae in Machello's memory. He didn't know why Daniel had got him that job and apartment but he was sure he had that day to thank for it. So he ate his burger and raised his glass to Machello and hoped, wherever he was, Machello was happy.

The end.


End file.
